RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2014 (edited) Jock, Jayne is doing pretty well all things considered - she's being very brave and is facing more things each week. She is quite academic, yes! Did research on aluminium (Aluminum!) corrosion for 'a large US manufacturer of aircraft' back in the day, she is an expert in crystallography. Nowadays Jayne is a legal researcher for the Attorney General's chambers. As she is also a rather attractive blonde, she 'had it all', until recent tragic events. We think the world of her, we couldn't ask for a nicer friend - so hence all our efforts to help her through her current situation. She will get through in time, it's her nature. edit for speelink Edited July 14, 2014 by New Haven Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thanks Pete. I spent all day yesterday with the Beach Boys and today will be the Four Seasons going round my head…:-) Gordon, I can't say I'm a great fan of Vivaldi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2014 What's a Schawm, please? Sean Connery's name for a group of bees? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2014 Morning all, Ah, pre-retirement courses - I think they had been cut out by the time I 'retired' from the big railway or myabe I slipped through the net because after 6 years with my final part of that world I still hadn't been ion the induction course. I did go on a one day 'financial planning course' - I think I managed to teach them quite a lot as it seemed to be run by a bunch of t*ssers who were more interested in getting their hands on your money than advising you how to save and look after your resources. More sunshine here but today it will be back to Jewsons for some paint samples for the living room - the fabric colour for the new furniture has been selected more or less unanimously and the same could be said for the initial selection of paint, I think. So it will be off to see our Grahame to get some samples mixed - and at least the green will have some scenic use unlike the dining room red. This week's big excitement comes on Wednesday as it's swan upping day on our stretch of the river and hopefully the swans will be back in residence post-regatta and pestival. Have a good day one & all Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2014 Bath Uni, Tony - Jayne is a Bath graduate, MSc Metallurgy, she loved it there, and was very complimentary about it and Bath, but to be fair it was a while ago.... Being a bit out of touch with such things I didn't realise just how far up the league tables Bath Uni had progressed. Sana (as Aditi's cousin's daughter does that make her second cousin or once-removed?) was very keen to study in the UK and was asking Aditi for advice about universities here. Nearly all of Aditi's relatives go to the US, if not for their first degree then for further study. Sana is an only child and her parents seemed happier with the idea of a campus university. Having communicated with her I don't see her just staying on campus and not going out! She is in Dubai at the moment to do some shopping. Aditi and I had a day trip to Bath years ago. It must have been in the early 1980s. We went on what was an early BOGOF train ticket if you presented Persil boxtop vouchers. It was my first trip on a HST and Aditi was very impressed with the toasted cheese sandwiches onboard. As well as cheese toasties another thing that sets it in that time period was that there was some sort of rally/membership event for the SDP (Note for younger readers, the SDP became the Dem part of Lib-Dems eventually). Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purley Oaks Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Morning again, Must be a record-breaking year here, another warm and sunny; fantsatic! Just returned from a short run in Holyrood Park - duck with 7 fluffy ducklings in tow on the low loch, St Margaret's Loch, if you know the area. Gabe's (Mrs PO) two elder brothers up for weekend, along with one wife, to scatter her mum's ashes on Arthur's Seat where there are allocated areas and you obtain permission beforehand. We were expecting a rather fraught day but everything went very well, and it was a good family reunion. A good celebration of a wonderful life lived to the full. Gabe's mum, Mutti, was German and had an amazing life - one of three sisters, she was jailed by the Nazis for fraternizing with British POWs. She escaped from jail, travelled through France and came to the UK in 1946, and married a Brit. She had a very strong German accent until the day she died last August. Her other two sisters also lived through the era, the youngest joined the Hitler youth and manned searchlights in Prague - she married a German sailor, and were both lovely people, benefitting from Adenauer's pension reforms; the eldest remained neutral, was brutally raped by Russian soldiers when they invaded Germany in 1945, and fled to Sweden where she married a Swedish merchant seaman - they were a lovely couple, too. She died a few years ago. So was supporting Germany last night - gut gemacht, lads! Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 A late call from me today - there was so much ER to catch up on that I had to actually do some work before I got a chance to post! Beautiful blue skies with a few small white clouds over Borough Market Junction at present. It's warm in the sun and only going to get hotter. We painted the render at the back of the house this weekend. The eldest son (nearly 12) was going to help in order to earn money to help pay for the maths text book he lost. But the youngest (5 1/2) wanted to join in - when we really didn't want him to - there were several moments of "don't lean on that" "don't put your hands there" "please please please don't tread masonry paint all over the decking I stained last week". In the end it was good that the eldest got bored and gave up because that meant that the youngest decided he didn't want to help either. But worst of all it was pointed out to me that I have missed a couple of patches - it wasn't obvious in the glare of the Saturday sun - but it is now! Can't say as I have ever really appreciated the classical variety of music - Wagner seems all fat ladies screeching incomprehensively! I remember a friend trying to get a whole load of us to appreciate opera. He decided language was a barrier so arranged a group trip to the ENO. But this probably made things worse - when someone limped across the stage singing "I've got a hump, I've got a hump", one of the guys commente "No you haven't, you've got a limp". Cue so much laughter from one person that he had to go and sit at the back to recover! I have to say I've enjoyed this world cup - the fianl two games weren't the greatest but the final itself was "compelling" and I'm glad the game was won with a cracking goal - so much more satisfying than penalties Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Pete.. you mean "the glums"... my musical wife isn't exactly enthused by it but as she says -- some people like it a lot and others do not.. Me I had a great time causing chaos umpiring today. Another cup match but with different rules to last week,, 45 overs, power plays .. the lot! After yesterdays lack of umpire involvement (18 catches, 1 run out and 1 bowled) today followed the same format .. no LBWs.. a record!! Busy week coming up so have a great week everyone! baz Is that Ron and Eth? When you say lack of invovlement do you mean there weren't any appeals? Or were you not trigger happy? When I played in the Northampton Town League years ago we were often beaten by a team where the captain always bowled from the end that his Dad stood. "How's that Dad?" led to many LBWs some of which were correct. The year I was captain, I instructed the guy who was "volunteered" to be our umpire that day to get out there quick and stand at the end we knew the son would bowl from, and to remember that the batsman should get the benefit of any doubt. It took 10 overs (out of his alloted 12) for the son to realise he was going to get little joy and switched ends. In his 11th over, sure enough he got an LBW. Me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Yep, TL, there is just good and bad music. No more, no less. I enjoyed the World Cup too - and it was a wonderful goal yesterday. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2014 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10...no good......AAAaaaaAAAAaaaaGGGHHHHhhhhhHHH!!!! They've c*cked up my pension. Three and a half months notice, and they have made a mess of it.....because some wheel re-inventor (sound familiar?) thought they would process it nice and early for pay-day....but before the transfer in from my MN Pension which was to be completed later this week. Notes field on the screen to inform operator of this? Yes, but....they didn't look at it. 'Oh my sainted Aunt' I think the saying is. Or something slightly ruder, perhaps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2014 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10...no good......AAAaaaaAAAAaaaaGGGHHHHhhhhhHHH!!!! They've c*cked up my pension. Three and a half months notice, and they have made a mess of it.....because some wheel re-inventor (sound familiar?) thought they would process it nice and early for pay-day....but before the transfer in from my MN Pension which was to be completed later this week. Notes field on the screen to inform operator of this? Yes, but....they didn't look at it. 'Oh my sainted Aunt' I think the saying is. Or something slightly ruder, perhaps. Oh dear - I think it is one of the most insulting things which can happen after retirement. You think you've finally escaped all the nonsense and garbage of the daily grind and some s.b.goes and makes a cods of your pension at the very first payment. Fortunately I have been fairly lucky with mine (apart from being denied an initial year's increase on my railway one, which came after I had been denied the final year's salary increase 'because you're leaving shortly' - which left me less than cheery) but otherwise Darlington were great with pension estimates and information from them is really good; Lloyd's Register were absolutely excellent once they'd managed to find me (someone hadn't updated my address - notwithstanding me advising them); and even the state lot got things right although I did remind them about my Graduated Pension contributions of many years ago. So I feel for you Neil, the ultimate insult from the HR mob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thanks Mike. Not HR though - here it is a dedicated Government department, Public Sector Pensions Authority. The guy actually handling my affairs has been superb, it's just someone else (may all Andrew's cockwombles descend upon him) decided to 'help' without reading the case through, or speaking to him. They're all in one open plan office of course...... My escape is apparently not yet quite complete, as you say! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10...no good......AAAaaaaAAAAaaaaGGGHHHHhhhhhHHH!!!! They've c*cked up my pension. Three and a half months notice, and they have made a mess of it.....because some wheel re-inventor (sound familiar?) thought they would process it nice and early for pay-day....but before the transfer in from my MN Pension which was to be completed later this week. Notes field on the screen to inform operator of this? Yes, but....they didn't look at it. 'Oh my sainted Aunt' I think the saying is. Or something slightly ruder, perhaps. Neil, The other thing to watch is income tax, not so much in the year you retire but the following year! In my case I told them what my various pensions would be in the following year and my code numbers were correctly set up. I then submitted by self assessment tax return for the last (partial) year I worked and what did they do? ignore the information I had supplied for the following year and they had previously used and reinstated all the stuff I told them had ceased. It took them three attempts to get it right. This year has been fine so far! Regards, Dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2014 Income Tax can indeed be a nuisance - I found that they had used the wrong numbers when they recalculated my tax on reaching age 65 when my state pension started. A very helpful chap in the tax office in Cardiff (quite why i was directed there I don't know, but I was) did a recalculation on the basis of the numbers I gave him over the 'phone - but the resultant tax Code was no more helpful alas. It is however a thing to watch - if you have an employment pension like mine which reduces when you reach state pension age you need to make sure the Tax Office take that into account, which they didn't in their first calculation of my coding. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 A very helpful chap in the tax office in Cardiff (quite why i was directed there I don't know, but I was) did a recalculation on the basis of the numbers I gave him over the 'phone - but the resultant tax Code was no more helpful alas. Mike, A lot of pension schemes are administered by Cardiff e.g. the old gas scheme (now National Grid) of which I am a member certainly is - as luck would have it the income tax for bank I subsequently worked for is in the same office. Incidentally the building is half a mile away and can be seen from our bedroom window. Regards, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2014 All different here for tax, chaps! One good thing is I can just pop in to the office and have a chat with my tax person, all very friendly and civilised. I already have a new coding (coorect) for my month as a pensioner before I start work for Trackshack, then I will just look in to the tax office with my new details. I won't be paying too much tax by UK standards of course.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 (edited) Cool/cold morning here, 17 may make 18, then 12 overnight. Partly cloudy with a moderate breeze so it feels quite early spring-like! Will make the record books as the coldest high for mid-July ever recorded. We're usually in the 32+ range by now. Serves them right for planning the baseball "All-Star Game" for Minnesota They're suggesting folks will need sweaters/sweatshirts for tonight and tomorrow activites and game. Enjoyed watching the football with my son yesterday, everyone in the bar/restaurant wanted Germany to win, so good result, and excellent goal. Maybe some of these countries will finaly realise a one-man team isn't a championship team! Don't care how good you think Messi is, you can't be a one-man team and win the World Cup... Started late today as I had to go for a routine "medication review" at the Dr. office. Classic US health-care system, the person contacting me to schedule the appointment FAILED to tell me they wanted me to come in "fasting". So I have to go back Thursday morning for the blood/pee samples to be taken <sigh> - at least folks with a NHS-style system can blame the governmentsystem due to all kinds of shortcomings - I feel here since it cost a bloody fortune anyway they could at least try and provide a good service for the price??? If you apply the "you get what you pay for" adage, I should be picked up in a bloody Rolls-Royce anyway! but I suppose I shouldn't criticise them, as it's only (my) money and time. Look lively otherwise you'll miss the start of the week - have a good day everyone. Edited July 14, 2014 by Ian Abel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2014 Aditi went with colleagues to another meeting about reorganisation at work this morning. The revised reorganised job descriptions were produced. She will be applying for one. The interviews are on Monday. The threat of redundancy in the team has been reduced as one person has decided to resign but Aditi's line manager's job has been thrown in the mix of available posts now (she isn't applying for that one). Other people in the team will be applying for the post Aditi would like (it is higher education rather than further ed, at the moment she does both) but as the post doesn't seem to require being able to reach high shelves she otherwise meets all the requirements. Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2014 Afternoon all. There's people about you should dump down a deep, deep mineshaft to the centre of the Earth. Need some modelling time to get down... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2014 I'm with you on that one today, Dom! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2014 Afternoon All Yukky day here - rain was forecast for this evening, came in some hours early. I'm struggling with a Computer Skills course, and really can't get my head round MS Excel at all! I need it yo get my L2 ECDL even though I'll probably never use it in the future. Jock 67B - the talk of music and Hurlford brings back a memory as my dad taught music in Hurlford primary school back in the dim and distant past - ISTR that the head was one Alex Watt - a real character - this would probably have been in the late 1950s/early 1960s, which I think may have been a bit after your time... Regards to All Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Apparently Grease is the word - have you heard ? Don't bring the BeeGees into it! I'm struggling as it is... I have to say I've watched the whole Beach Boys video and all credit to Messrs Wilson, Love and Jardine. They did a great job with the harmonies and the music was just as true as it was 50 years ago. There's not many acts that can do that, so respect. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashcombe Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Ian and I have enjoyed a super day out and the sun shone too! We boarded the Billard railcar at Beille which departed at 1030, with scheduled stops at Tuffe & Bonnetable and a few unplanned ones to allow livestock to move from the line. Tuffe Plan d'Eau presented an interesting spectacle. A brocante (car boot sale) was in full swing with one patron so keen to snap up the bargains, that he'd parked his car part way across the railway line! A picnic in the sunshine by the lake offered a chance for us to observe the French picnicking on what is a Bank Hol here (Bastille Day). Our victuals filled a couple of sandwich bags whereas most of theirs involved large cooler boxes packed to the hilt! A very interesting and pleasant way to spend the last day of this visit before I return to the Mayenne. Photos will follow eventually, you lucky people! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2014 Don't bring the BeeGees into it! I'm struggling as it is... . That's a tragedy, Gordon...... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted July 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 14, 2014 https://mediathek.deutschebahn.com/marsDB/instance/ko/Wir-gratulieren-der-deutschen-Nationalmannschaft.xhtml?oid=1335580 Nice touch: Last night, and after the result from Brazil came in, Deutsche Bahn decorated several suburban and regional EMUs with congratulations for the national team. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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